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There is growing concern that the debt collection practices of public sector bodies have fallen behind the standard of regulated creditors in the private sector. Practices have often been criticised as being unfair to the debtor and inefficient, possibly resulting in higher long-term costs to the taxpayer. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on debts owed to public bodies is not yet known, but it is likely to have led to further indebtedness.
Debts to public bodies: are Government debt collection practices outdated? (9 MB , PDF)
There is growing concern that the debt collection practices of public sector bodies have fallen behind the standard of regulated creditors in the private sector. Practices have often been criticised as being unfair to the debtor and inefficient, possibly resulting in higher long-term costs to the taxpayer.
This is an increasingly important topic because debts owed to public sector bodies (for example, as a result of benefit overpayments, penalties or fines, and council tax or rent arrears[1]) have been growing in recent years – both in total value and as a proportion of cases dealt with by debt advice charities:
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on debts owed to public bodies is not yet known, but it is likely to have led to further indebtedness. Citizens Advice, for example, estimate that as many as 1.3 million households fell into council tax arrears in the first three months of the crisis.
A range of criticisms have been made about the Government’s debt collection practices, with the Treasury Select Committee concluding in 2018 that public bodies are “often found to be the most zealous and unsympathetic of creditors in collecting arrears”.
More recently, in June 2020, Baroness Morgan of Cotes wrote that: “Regrettably, the public sector continues to lag behind. Despite glimmers of progress, the Committee’s verdict in 2018 that the public sector was ‘worst in class’ for debt collection remains sadly accurate.”
More specific criticisms of the way in which public sector bodies collect debts include:
Overall, there is concern that, collectively, these issues may result in a lower likelihood of an individual escaping problem debt, lower likelihood of the taxpayer recovering the money owed, and higher likelihood of negative ‘downstream’ effects on the mental health, relationships and productivity of the individual in debt and their families.
The Debt Management Function (in the Cabinet Office) published a Call for Evidence on fairness in Government debt management in June 2020. This points to the various actions that Government has taken in recent years, but recognises that more can be done.
Actions taken to date include:
The Cabinet Office’s call for evidence – which invites organisations and individuals to submit evidence on the ways in which public bodies can improve their debt collection practices – closes on 21 September 2020.
‘Fairness’ remains a key question for public sector bodies, with the Cabinet Office recognising that those who can afford to repay their debt should do so. As such debts represent money owed to the taxpayer and this money is used to fund public services, public bodies are conscious that proportionate enforcement responses are taken against those who could pay but choose not to.
Several recommendations for improving public sector debt collection practices have been made.
The Centre for Social Justice’s report published in April 2020, entitled ‘Collecting Dust’, summarises many of these and builds on recommendations made previously by debt advice agencies, the National Audit Office and the Treasury Select Committee. The report’s recommendations include:
Debts to public bodies: are Government debt collection practices outdated? (9 MB , PDF)
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